


Poking the Bear

by Python07



Series: If Looks Could Kill [29]
Category: Forever (TV), The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Aurelian is a shit, Crack Crossover, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-14 00:44:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9149134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Python07/pseuds/Python07
Summary: Tying up loose ends, getting ready for the trip, and Aurelian being a shit. (It's not the end. It couldn't be the end.)





	

Aurelian barely slept and he was up bright and early. He was out of Madame DuPrey’s house before anyone else was awake. He went out to Henri’s house.

Everything was quiet. He didn’t make a sound as he climbed the stairs. He opened the guest bedroom door a crack to peek inside. He may have smiled, a small one and just to himself, when he saw Richelieu flat on his back with Treville half on top of him, Treville’s nose buried in the side of Richelieu’s neck.

Aurelian eased the door closed and went back downstairs. He went to the kitchen and set out a breakfast of bread, cheese, and fruit. He just finished boiling the water for tea when Richelieu joined him.

Aurelian took one look at Richelieu’s tousled curls and smirked. “Good morning. How was your night?”

Richelieu just rolled his eyes and sat at the table.

Aurelian set a mug of strong black tea in front of him. He tilted Richelieu’s head to the side to get a good look at the love bite on his neck, just peeking out from Richelieu’s dressing gown. “A very good night,” he drawled.

Richelieu chuckled and lightly elbowed Aurelian. “Stop. I should be cross with you.”

Aurelian took the seat next to Richelieu. He smiled guilelessly. “Whatever for, cousin?” he asked sweetly.

Richelieu arched an eyebrow at him. “How about shooting me?”

Aurelian sipped his own tea, slowly and languidly as if he had all the time in the world. “It was point blank in the chest. It’s not like you suffered.” 

Richelieu added milk to his tea. He stuck his chin out defiantly. “It stung.”

“So, what? It proved the point, didn’t it and you’re perfectly well,” Aurelian shot back, not the least bit impressed.

Richelieu frowned. He dropped his eyes to the table. “Bringing Treville here, exposing our secret.”

Aurelian snorted and waved a hand dismissively. “You were pining after him. He was pining after you. What was I supposed to do?” 

“Sextus,” Richelieu started.

“Lucius,“ Aurelian interrupted in a sing-song voice. He sat forward. His smile had an edge. “Are you sorry that I did?”

Richelieu shook his head. He curled both hands around his mug. “No,” he admitted slowly.

Aurelian touched Richelieu’s wrist. “What is it?”

Richelieu sighed heavily. “It can’t be this easy.”

Aurelian snickered. “I wouldn’t characterize any of this as easy.”

Richelieu met Aurelian’s eyes again. “Jean’s taken this all rather well. I keep waiting for…”

Aurelian scooted his chair closer. He wrapped an arm around Richelieu and Richelieu leaned into him. He kept his voice light but there was steel underneath. “If he was going to run screaming from the so-called demon, he would’ve done it by now.”

“I have no intention of doing that,” Treville announced.

They both looked up to see Treville standing in the doorway. He was dressed but his shirt was unlaced and un-tucked. He was barefoot. His eyes narrowed jealously as he looked at them.

Aurelian put no distance between himself and Richelieu. He rested his chin on Richelieu’s shoulder. He offered Treville a toothy grin. “Stuck with you, are we?”

“I’m staying with Armand,” Treville bit out. “You can go jump in the Seine.” 

“Now, now, Captain,” Aurelian drawled. “If it weren’t for me, you’d still be wandering the road to nowhere.”

Treville just growled and took the chair on Richelieu’s other side.

Richelieu looked at Aurelian with fond exasperation. “Stop poking the bear.”

Aurelian pouted. “Why? It’s fun.” He arched his eyebrows at Treville and kissed the side of Richelieu’s head.

Richelieu laughed and pushed Aurelian away. “Peace, Sextus.”

“For you, cousin,” Aurelian sighed as if making a great concession. He scooted his chair back to its original position.

Treville threw himself back in his chair. He bared his teeth at Aurelian. “So, you’re immortal, too,” he said sourly.

Aurelian grinned back, his most cheeky. “Yes.”

“I would dearly love to shoot you,” Treville grumbled.

“I would like to see you try.”

Richelieu put both hands up. “Not at the breakfast table.” He fixed both of them with a glare as if they were unruly children. “Quit squabbling and eat.”

“Etiam, Imperator.” Aurelian saluted Richelieu. He stopped grinning, but there was still mischief in his eyes. 

Treville poured his own tea. “What did he say?”

Richelieu’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Nothing to concern yourself with, Jean.”

Aurelian reached for a roll and the strawberry preserves. “I’ve arranged to have everything taken to the ship and loaded this morning.”

Richelieu nodded. “Good.” 

Treville filled his plate with cheese, apples, and a roll. “Wait, before we get into all that, I want you two to explain what exactly happened in Paris.”

Richelieu and Aurelian looked at each other for a long moment before Aurelian just shrugged in deference to Richelieu. Richelieu took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I told you before that I tried to leave things as stable as possible; the treaty with Sweden, the money for the navy, Marie de Médici in exile, and Savoy muzzled. I named Mazarin as my successor and I hoped, you, he, and the Queen could help Louis govern well.”

Treville grimaced. “And with your assassination, you rid the court of Beaufort.”

Richelieu kept his voice gentle. “Exactly.”

Treville tilted his head towards Aurelian. He kept eating but chewed his food as if it had offended him. “Why did you send him back to Paris?”

Aurelian grinned back at him while Richelieu answered patiently, “To make sure all went according to plan. I didn’t expect the King to keep him there or turn on you as he did.”

Treville stared at the tabletop. He clenched his hands into fists. “And then Rochefort came back to court.”

“Yes. Sextus kept me apprised.”

Treville squeezed his eyes shut. “He took over, Armand. He tried to ruin everything and then he got away.”

Aurelian’s eyes flashed like a predator’s. “No, he didn’t.”

Treville jerked and stared at Aurelian. “What?”

Richelieu put one of his hands over Treville’s. “I returned to Paris to take care of the problem.”

Treville swallowed. He opened his hand to hold Richelieu’s. “You mean…”

“He’s dead, but I didn’t kill him.”

Aurelian bared his teeth in fierce pride. “But he did break him. It took a day.”

“There could be no mercy for him,” Richelieu stated matter-of-factly. “Not after all he’d done at court. Not after all he did to you, Jean, not after he had you shot.”

Treville was quiet for a few moments. He looked to Richelieu. “Armand,” he murmured at a loss.

Richelieu squeezed Treville’s fingers. “It’s all right, Jean.”

Treville’s brow furrowed. “Wait. What about his attack on you?” he asked Aurelian.

Aurelian chuckled darkly. “It was all a show to prove to Louis that Rochefort was a traitor and a Spanish spy. Sophia gave me all I needed but I couldn’t very well reveal her as my source.”

“Sophia,” Treville echoed blankly.

“The fake Princess Louise.”

“What?” Treville demanded. “You freed her from prison.”

Aurelian all but yawned in the face of Treville’s displeasure. “Yes, I helped her escape. Lucius needed to know what she knew. Rochefort happened to be at the prison getting ready to silence her. I rescued her and she helped us.”

Richelieu continued before Treville could speak. “I wrote the papers that Aurelian found at the Palais Cardinal when Rochefort attacked him. It was clear proof to Louis that I knew what Rochefort was but I died before I could act.”

Treville looked from Aurelian to Richelieu and then back again. “Then who stabbed you?”

“Louise,” Aurelian answered readily. “She knew exactly where to strike. I would bleed a lot but the wound wouldn’t be fatal if treated properly.”

“Where is she now?”

Aurelian shrugged. “Spain probably.”

“But she knows you’re alive,” Treville protested.

Richelieu smiled grimly. “She also saw what I did to Rochefort. She’ll hold her tongue.”

Treville sat back in his seat. He firmly kept hold of Richelieu’s hand. He dragged his free hand down his face. “One more thing. Did you have anything to do with the King’s change of heart over letting Aurelian leave?”

One end of Richelieu’s mouth quirked up. “There may have been a ghostly visitation.”

Treville laughed. “Only you could run France as a ghost.” He took a deep breath. “Did you know the King snuck out of the palace and snuck into the Bastille to slit Beaufort’s throat himself.”

Richelieu threw Aurelian a pointed look. “Yes, I did.”

“I never thought he had that in him.”

Aurelian chuckled. “He wouldn’t if he hadn’t had my help.”

Treville’s eyes got wide. “You helped the King to…to…”

“Exact justice. Yes.” Aurelian quickly downed the rest of his tea. “Now, we should finish up. We have things to do before we catch our ship.” He jumped up and busied himself cleaning off the table. “You two should go get dressed.”

Treville quickly ate the rest of his food and stood. “All right.”

Richelieu grabbed Treville’s wrist before he could move. “Are you sure this is what you want, Jean?” he asked with a quite intensity. “To start over? You don’t have to give up all you know for me.” 

Treville pulled Richelieu to his feet. He cupped Richelieu’s face and kissed him. “You’re not leaving without me.” With that, he turned on his heel and walked out. “Not a word, Aurelian,” he threw over his shoulder.

Aurelian appeared at Richelieu’s side. “Does he know the twins are coming?”

Richelieu’s face was flushed and he was slightly breathless. “Not yet.”

Aurelian gave Richelieu a shove. “Go on. You’d better tell him and don’t get distracted.”

Later, Aurelian was proud to say that they were only ten minutes late.


End file.
